Playing ball



Jan. I, 1929.

H. C. EBERT PLAYING BALL Filed June l5, 1927 :S4/want@ y n/4R@ @75557- HM' fmw Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

.UNITE-D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD c. ERERr, OE .BROOKLYN NEw YORK, AssIeNOR To no.' srALnINe aRRos.,

OE NEW YORK, N. Y., A eOaKEORATION4 OE NEW JERSEY.

PLAYING BALL.

This invention 'relates to playing balls of the type in .which an inflatable bladder 1s protected by a cover of Wear-resistant materlal. In such balls it is a common practice to pro- .vide a small aperture in the cover by means of which access may be had' to the lniatmg valve carried by the bladder.

It is anv object of the present invention to furnish an improved closure means for the inating aperture to prevent the entry .oi

mud and d irt in to the valve.

While a preferred embodiment has been disclosed for purposes of illustration, it

should be understood that various changes 16 may be made in the structure Without d eparting from the spirit and' scope of the invention as hereinbefore set forthA and claimed.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 s a perspectlve of a ball embodying the invention showing a .pump connected thereto.

Fig. 2 is a cross sect-ion 'through the cover and bladder at the iiflating stem.

Fig. 3 is an lenlarged plan of the structure of Fig. 2, parts being broken away. e Fig. 4 is a section showing a modification. bfFig. 5 is a section through the closure memlarly, reference numeral 10 indicates the outer protective covering of the playball and 11 refers to an aperture' in the cover. Numeral 12 is applied to a piece of heavy rubber secured to the inner side of the cover about the sa' aperture 11. This rubber piece has a flap 14 cut therefrom, the main part of the flap being severedI from 'the piece 12 along a line orresponding to the contour of the aperture 11,

'but one side of the iiap being left integral 40. with the piece 12 as indicated at 15 in Fig.. 3. A second pieee of heavy rubber 16, having an aperture 17 of a shape similar to that of aperture 11, is positionedbelow the ieee 12. A piece of leather 18 lies below rub er piece 16 and carries a threaded bushing 19 adapted to receive the infiating stem of the bladder. A finishing piece 20 covers the end of the bushin and a row of stitching 21 secures all the inside pieces to the cover 10.

60 The .inflatable bladder 22 carries a valved eferring to the drawings more partieu- .complished by turning the flap 14 outwardly as indicated in Figs. 1 and 5, and the pump is then connected to the stem 23 in. the usual way. When the. inflating has been accomphshed and the pump is disconnected, the .flap 14 returns to its normal position covermg the opening 11, in which position it eiiectlvely prevents passage of undesirable fore-i gn matter into the inlating stem.

In some instances it may be found'desirable to form the inner rubber piece 16 with an aperture smaller than that through the flapcarrying piece 12, thereby forming a shoulder 24F1g. 4 which prevents inward movement of flap 14. Fig. 4 also shows a diierent type of valve stem 25 held in place by a layer 26, all of the inner layers being held together and to cover by cement instead of stitching. A bladder is attached' to stem 25 in any convement manner.

I claim.: A

l. A playing ball comprising a cover having an aperture therein, a piece of rubber secured to the inner side of the'cover, and a Hap 4partially punched from-the rubber piece and adapted to normally close the aperture. 2. A playmg ball comprising a cover hav- 1ng,an aperture therein, an inflatable bladder vi ithin the cover and having an inflatinv stem e alined'with the aperture, and a piece oiaresil-l ient material attached to :the inner side of the cover, said' resilient piece carrying a flap which is artially punched from the resilient' piece an adapted to normally cover the in- 4 Hating stem..

3. A playing ball comprising a cover having an aperture therein, a piece ofrubber secured to the inner side'of the cover andcarrying a Hap which is partially punched from the resilient piece and adapted to normally close the aperture, an inlating stem, means adjacent to the 'aperture for anchoring the v inlating stem in position registering with to normally close the aperture,` and a piece of the aperture, and an inflatable bladder in n material secured to the inner side of the recommunication with the inlating stem. silient piece and having a shoulder prevent- 10 4. A playing ball comprising a cover having inward movement of the flap. 5 ing an aperture therein, a piece of resilient In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

. material secured to the inner side of the cover, i

a ap carried by a resilient piece and adapted HOWARD C. EBERT. l` l y 

